Car thieves carry on – despite being filmed on owner’s phone
CATALYTIC CONVERTER STOLEN WITHIN TWO MINUTES IN DAYLIGHT
BRAZEN thieves stole a catalytic converter from a car parked outside a family’s home in the middle of the day - despite being challenged throughout by a neighbour.
The three criminals coolly struck at about 11am on Friday in Rushey Mead and continued stealing the valuable device despite the owner of the car also coming out to protest with them – and then filming them on her phone.
The thieves pulled up next to the Toyota Prius, jacked it up, then stole the converter on a busy road, all within a couple of minutes.
Car owner Shabir Mirza said he was stunned.
“I just can’t believe just how brazen they were,” he said.
“It was broad daylight and this was right outside our house on a busy road in mid-morning. They did not care that our male neighbour challenged them or that my wife told them she was filming them.
“They both shouted at the thieves but they just carried on and stole the converter and left.”
Mr Mirza, who was at work at the
time of the theft, said he was glad nobody got hurt.
“This was pre-planned, these criminals came prepared,” he said.
“They had a trolley jack in the boot and an electric saw.
“If they were prepared to just do as they please I am sure they were prepared to use force if they had to. I am happy neither my wife nor my neighbour were injured.
“I hope someone recognises these people from the video and the police catch them.
“They need bringing before court to learn that they cannot just do what they want to do. They need to be stopped from doing this again.”
Mr Mirza said the car may now be a write-off as the cost of repairs is likely to exceed its value.
Catalytic converters, which are part of the exhaust system, are attractive to thieves because they contain a number of valuable metals, chiefly palladium and platinum. Police say there has been an increase in such thefts recently, likely down to a spike in the price of these metals. A police spokesman said: “Shortly after 11am yesterday we received a report that a catalytic converter had been taken from a Toyota Prius parked outside an address in Rushey Mead, Leicester. “It was reported that a group of people left the scene in a black car. Anyone with information is asked to call 101.”
They did not care that our male neighbour challenged them or my wife told them she was filming them Shabir Mizra